Yarn or fiber cutting machine



Dec. 6, 1932. J. F. PULLAN YARN OR FIBER CUTTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1. 1931 MIAM /0H Qfam e6 ZPuZZan Dec. 6, 1932. J. F1 PULLAN YARN OR FIBER CUTTING MAQHINI Filed June 1. 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 6, 1932.

J. F. PULLAN 1,890,095 YARN OR FIBER CUTTING MACHINE Filed June 1. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,W/f/ITflr? e/amea I? P 1111a,

Patented Dec. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES F. PULLAN, 0F PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 LINCOLN MACHINE COMIANY, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND YARN 0R FIBER CUTTING MACHINE Application filed June 1, 1931. Serial No. 541,196.

This invention relates to a cutting machine for producing relatively short and fine fuzzlike material from relatively long fibers, threads or filament-like yarns or other like materials.

One of the objects of the invention is to produce a cutting mechanism or machine, which will, by a cutting or shearing operation, form into very short lengths, various filament-like materials. Such materials, before being subjected to the cutting or shearing operation performed by my improved machine, are preferably of filament-like form and may Consist of cotton fibers, wool, hair, natural or artificial silk, or such other materials as may be used in the manufacture of chenille or chenille-like goods, in various forms. Through the u e of my improved cutting machine, I am able to produce such short lengths of filaments in substantially uniform lengths economically and in large quantities.

In the manufacture of various types of kinds of textile fabrics, it is advantageous to produce the chenille material in substantially uniform lengths, in large quantities,

and when such uniform lengths are produced,

the resultant cut lengths can be deposited on the surface of the base fabric used to cover the whole face of the base fabric, or a par ticular portion thereof, such deposited chenille material producing an even and smooth velvet-like surface, without the necessity for subsequently trimming the nap or pile so deposited.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved cutting machine;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine, with parts of the same in section;

Figure 8 is an end view of the machine,

. looking at the end of the same that is remote from the operator;

Figure 4 is a detail view showing the adjusting mechanism for one of the cutting Throughout the various views of the drawings, similar reference characters designate similar parts. v

In the embodiment of my invention disclosed in the accompanying drawings, indicates a table-like base or support, which may be supported by suitable standards (not shown) or on any other form of rigid base. The machinev and its attendant parts rest upon said support and are bolted thereto as by bolts 90, shown in the drawings. The frame of the machine consists of two side members 8, 8, which. are connected together and suitably braced by tie rods or spacer bars 2 and thus form a strong and rigid housing for the cutting mechanism and attendant parts. I

At one end of the frame are mounted the shearing blades 16 and 24 between which the material to be cut is fed and with which such material is cut into proper lengths. The fixed knife 24 is mounted on a holder 19 which is positively secured to the side frame members 8 by brackets 76. As will be hereafter pointed out, the knife 24 is capable of adjustment longitudinally of the frame and at right angles to the upper knife 16. Said knife 24 is also vertically adjustable on its support 19 by means of the adjusting screw 91.

The cutting knife 16 is secured by screws 92 to a holder 4 which is mounted in the side frames 8, 8 in such a manner as to permit it to be freely vertically reciprocated therein. This reciprocating motion of the knife-holder 4 is produced by a crank-shaft 58 mounted (just below and to the rear of the blade 24) in the side frames 8, 8 andjournaled in bearings 56 and 57. The crank-shaft 58 is provided with two eccentrics on which ride the connecting-rod ends 20 the other end 22 of each connecting'rod being connected to the reciprocating blade-holder 4 through pins that extend through ears 93 formed on the blade-holder aswill be clear from Figure 3 of the drawings. Each of the two connecting rods 21 is provided with right and left hand threaded portions which screw into the rod ends 20 and 22 so that the lengths of said rods may be changed as the knife blades wear to maintain the proper cutting relationship be- The main drive shaft 58 s provided with.

a large gear 38 that is 'positi ve1y secure d to" one of its endsand said gear 38 meshes with and is driven by a pinion 39 that is mounted on the projecting end of a motor shaft 96, which shaft is driven by the electric motor 97 that is clearly disclosed. in Figures 2 and 3. The end of the shaft 58 opposite to that on which'the gear 38 is located, has a disclike hub 34 secured to it. This hub, which is disclosed in detail in Figure 5, is providedwith a T-slot 98 and with a bolt 40 fitting therein. The hub 34, with the bolt 40 and with a spacer 41 and bushing 42 form a crank. Said bolt 40 may be adjusted away from or toward the center of the shaft 58 to produce a longer or shorter throw of the crank. A lock-nut 31 (see Figure 3) serves to hold the T-bolt 40 in its position of adjustment after the same is once adjusted.

The material to be fed between the'knives 16and 24 is disclosed at 99, andthe same consists of a plurality of filament-like strands "or fibers. This material is spread over and supported upon a table-like plate 7 and is moved toward the cutting knives by a air of feed rollers 15 and 23. The upper eed roller 15 is preferably rubber-covered, as disclosed in Figure 1, so that it produces a cushion effect, while the lower roller 23 may be made of steel or of other inelastic or inflexible material. These feed rollers 15 and 23 are mounted to rotate in the side frame members 8, 8 and are so mounted that the lower roll 23 is adjustable with relation to the work table 7. The upper roll 15 is slidable vertically in the side frames 8, 8, and is caused to resiliently bear downward-on the stock 99 that is fed between the two rolls, as is shown in Figure 1. Such resilient pressure is applied to the upper roll 15 by springs 12,

one of which is located at each end of the roll. The pressure of said springs 12 may be regulated by means of the handscrews 9, whereby a greater or lesser gripping tension may be produced between the two rolls.

These feed rolls are intermittently driven by a ratchet mechanism mounted 'at one end of the lower roll 23. Said mechanism com prises a ratchet 25 secured on the shaft of the roll 23, which ratchet is adapted to be engaged by three ratchet pawls 26, 27 and 28 that are mounted in a yoke or frame 47.. Each of the pawls is adapted to be pressed against the face of the ratchet 25 by pressure springs 49A that are held ina plate 49 and said pawls are held in driving engagement. The yoke 47 is reciprocated by the crank-disc 34, heretofore described, through a connecting-rod assembly 30, whereby through a shorter or longer throw of the T-bolt 40, a

shorter or longer segmental rotation is imparted to the feed rolls 15 and 23 as will be evident from the drawings thus regulating the length of the feed of the material to the knives. The three ratchet pawls 26, 27 and :28 are of different length and thus an adjustment of one-third of one tooth of the ratchet 25' may be made. The lower roller 23 is provided with a friction device 74 with which a variable'friction may be applied to 75 the shaft extensionof said roller to prevent reverse rotation thereof when the yoke 47 returns to take another forward feed engagement. The rollers 15 and 23 are preferably mounted in anti-friction bearings and are driven in unison by the gears and 101, shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. A suitable guard or cover 66 is provided for the ratchet mechanism just described.

At a point between the cutting blades 16 35 and 24 and the feeding rollers I provide a gripping means for holding the yarn or fibers in a,positive manner during the cutting period' at or near the shearing point. This gripping means consists of an upper pressure pad 17 that co-operates with a lower pressure pad 18 to grip the material 99 between them, and hold said material while the same is sheared. The lower pressure pad 18 is fixedly secured in the side frames 8, 8 95 and'held there byset screws. The upper pressure pad17 is mounted in the reciprocating knife holder 4 and is carried with the same as the crank-shaft reciprocates this holder to effect cutting. Said pressure pad mo 17 is so mounted as to have a slight movement relative to its support 4 and also relative to the knife blade 16 carried thereby. The pressure pad 17 is mounted on four studs 60,

which are free to slide vertically in the knifeholder 4, with compression springs 73 interposed between the member 4 and the pad 17. An adjustment is also provided at the upper ends of the studs 60, which adjustment comprises the lock-nuts 103. A. soft leather washer 104 is provided beneath said nuts to reduce the noise at the upward stroke.

The front end of the pressure pad 17 is beveled as at 105 and this edge serves to bear against the upper feed roller 15 at the extremeppward position of the blade holder 4, and it thus acts to form an effective guard or scraper to prevent the yarn stock from being carried over and about the upper roller 13. A guard 46 is provided at the front of 12 the roller 15 to prevent the hands of the operator from entering between the feed rollers 15 and 23.

The lower knife-blade 24 is adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the machine frame. Such adjustment is had by means of two adjusting screws 52, (see Figure 1) each of which is provided with a differential thread, that is a fine pitch thread at the extreme end, which end screws into the knife support 19, and a somewhat coarser thread which screws into one of the tie rods 2A.

A hand-knob 520 is fixed on the end of each of the screws 52 and is provided with graduations on its face (see F i are 4) which can be lined up with an in icator plate 52D. The knife adjustment is accomplished by turning the two adjusting screws 52 right or left as desired, and due to the difference in the pitch of the threads, the knife will be advanced or retarded at the rate equal to the difference in pitch of the threads for each revolution of the adjusting screws. With this arrangement, a very fine adjustment of the knife 24 may be made so that the proper cutting relation between the two knives is assured.

To suitably guide the stock 99 between the rollers and to the cutting knives, a guide movable across the table 7 is provided. Said guide consists of a longitudinal head 67 and a pair of projecting rods 69 which slide through openings rovided in one of the frame members 8. et screws 52A operating on the rods 69 hold the guide in any position of adjustment. Said guide may be so adjusted that only a portion of the width of the cutting mechanism is used, or, if desired, several similar guides may be used to segregate the various stocks or yarns being cut simultaneously. It is also possible to subdivide the table 7 by several guides 67 so that stock of different colors may be placed between the guides and a complete intermingling of colors in the cut stock will result without-requiring a subsequent mixing operation of the cut material. I

From the foregoing, the manner in which my improved cutting machine operates will be readily understood. Afi ample supply of stock is placed on top of the table 7 and the same is pushed forward until the feed rollers 15 and 23 grip the same and feed it toward the knives. As the upper knife 16 reciprocates back and forth, said feed rollers 15 and 23. through the ratchet'device, feed the proper length of. stock 99 between'the knives 16 and 24 as disclosed in Figure 2. As the knife 16 descends, the pressure pad 17 reaches the stock before'the knife 16 does and said pressure pad acts to grip the stock betweenit and the fixedlower pressure pad 18.v With a further movement downward of the knife 16 the stock thus rippedbetween ,the epads 17 and. 18 is cut of to theiproper length and is received in a suitable container 7.0"that is placed below theknives. Whenthe knife 16 is carried upwardly the stock is released from between the pressure pads 17 and 18 and the ratchet pawls 26, 27 and 28 are moved back for the next feeding operation.

Having described one embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad rollers for preventing the yarn from enough to cover all structures coming Within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is 1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a pair of cuttin knives, means for reciprocatm one of sai knives, gripping means for oldiii filament-like arns during the cuttin of tgf same by the ives, a support for the yarns, rollers for feeding the yarns therefrom tothe grippers and knives, one of the grippers" acting while in a. non-gripping position to revent the yarns from wrapping about the eed rollers.

2. In a machine of. the class described, a pair of cutting knives between which yarns are fed, means for feeding yarns between said knives, and a gripping device independent of the feeding means for holding the yarns during the cutting operation, said gripping device consisting of a fixed member and a movable, spring-pressed member, the springpressed member having a beveled edge for defleeting yarn away from the feeding means.

3. In a machine for cutting filament-like yarn elements into short lengths, feeding rollers, knives between which the yarns are knives, said resiliently-mounted gripping plate being provided with a beveled edge that is brought into contact with one of the feed rollers when the gripping plate is in its elevated or nonripping position.

4. In a machine for cutting yarn into short fuzz-like lengths, a support for receiving the uncut yarn lengths, rollers .for receiving the yarn endwise from the support and feeding the same, knives for cutting the fed yarn, means for regulating the length of the yarn sectipns. that are intermittently fed to the knives, and means carried by one of the knives and. extending in front of the feed wrapping about the feed-rollers during the feeding operation. i

5. Ina machine for cutting filament-like yarns into short lengths, a supporting table for the yarns, a pair of intermittently-driven feed rollers, a pair of cutting knives between which the yarns are fed by the rollers, adjust ing means for shifting oneof the knives to and from the rollers, said adjusting means comprising screws bearing a differential thread and adjustable at one end of the table, means for vertically reciprocating the other knife, means carried by the reciprocated knife and extending in front of the feed rollers for deflecting such yarns as may be carried upward by one of the feedv rollers, and

JAMES F. PULLAN. 

